The field school aims to put the students in real-life situations of study and analysis as they will experience in their future professional environment. The context will be a field expertise in a natural environment. This course aims to teach the student the mastery of diagnostic tools. Understand biodiversity and the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems through regional case studies of the main biotas of Madagascar's biodiversity hotspot; acquire methodologies for measuring the diversity and dynamics of animal and plant communities in tropical environments; integrate this knowledge into operational programs implemented by natural environment managers. To acquire knowledge on the methods of studies of the chemical mediation intervening in the insect plants interactions. To gain knowledge of the different strategies developed by plants to reproduce with pollinators as well as the evolutionary consequences. Train experts in taxonomy (identification, nomenclature, classification) and evolution (speciation, reproductive biology, adaptation, convergence, biogeography, ...) of flowering plant species in South West Indian Ocean. Mastery of techniques related to expertise in tropical botany (Herbarium, sampling, referencing of specimens, ...).

• Plant communities:

Biological diversity / forest ecology: typology of tropical forests, species richness, global distribution, explanatory factors, tropical forests of the SWIO zone, Structure and functioning of plant communities: spatio-temporal variability (horizontal: disturbances, succession, vertical), regeneration (life cycle, process: dispersal, germination, etc.), plant / plant interactions (facilitation, competition). Plant / environment interactions: specific strategies (functional traits), eco-physiology and plant responses to the biotope (illumination, water, temperature, soil),

• Animal Communities

Ecology of arthropods: diversity and functioning of communities, sampling methods, social insects. Tropical island fauna: native vertebrates of the Madagascar hotspot.

• Anthropogenic threats (degradation, deforestation, invasions), consequences (fragmentation, habitat loss, extinctions) and re-mediation (REDD +).

• Nature of the interactions (mutualism, symbiosis, antagonism, parasitism, predation), origin of the interactions, interactions animal plants interactions plants microorganisms, role of the interactions in the evolution, specialization of the interactions. Chemical ecology of insect plant interactions: molecules involved in plant x insect relationships; CGSM: sample collection, principle and analysis of results; Physiology and ecology of the insect plant relationship; EAG: operating principle and analysis of results. Ecology and evolution of interactions: Pollination and dispersal in the islands; Mycorrhizal symbiosis; Evolution of mutualisms in an island environment; Case study: biotic interactions in Apis mellifera;

• Species concept and classification.

• Taxonomy, Nomenclature, Herbarium: Code of Botany, Description of new species, Management of collections (Databases, Herbarium techniques, DNA library, ...). Classification of large plant families: tools and methods of analysis: (morphology, cytology, plant anatomy), classification principles. Vascular flora of SWIO: Magnoliids: Laurales; Piperales / Monocots: Alismatales; Pandanales; Liliales; Asparagales / Commelinids: Arecales, Poales, Zingiberales: (Core eudicots: Rosids: Fabidae Oxalidales, Malpighiales, Fabales, Rosales / Rosids: Malvidae: Myrtales, sapindales, Malvales / Asterids: Ericales, Gentianales, solanales, Boraginales, Asterales, Escaloniales, Apiales.

• FIELD: 1 week in MADAGASCAR and 1 week in REUNION (Marelongue Station): techniques of studies, inventories and sampling of the biodiversity of Madagascar and the surrounding islands: Ecology of plant communities; forest inventories; analysis of different strata and litter; Ecology of pollinator plant interactions, pollinator observation method, characterization of floral biology (morphology, color, odor, nectar), study of the reproductive system and pollen flow; Inventories of the entomofauna; sampling and conditioning technique; identification criteria, botany

• ECTS: 15

• Nombre d'heures: 42 h CM ; 9 h TD ; 84 h TP

• Langue d’enseignement : anglais

• Responsable pédagogique : Thierry Pailler

• Semestre 2 (mutualisé avec parcours Tropimundo)